Big Game Identification
Antelope Horns Shorter Than Ears
- Adult female antelope have ears about 5 to 5 ½ inches long
- Female horns (if present) are usually less than 4 inches long
- Female antelope do not have a black patch on cheek
- Female antelope do not have black band from eyes to nose
- Juvenile males may be legally harvested (horns must not be longer than ears)
- Typically yearling bucks and fawn bucks have black cheek patch
Antelope Horns Longer Than Ears
- Adult male antelope have ears about 5 ½ to 6 inches long
- Mature males have horns from 12 to 19 inches long
- Presence of black patch of hair on cheek
- Adult males typically have a black band on face from eyes down to the nose
Elk
- Smaller than moose
- Size: 4-5 ft at the shoulder, females weigh 400-500 lbs, males weigh 700-800 lbs
- Body is light brown in color with long, dark brown hair on neck and a distinct light tan rump patch
- Males have branched antlers with each antler point originating from a main beam
Moose (Illegal to Harvest)
- Larger than elk with a noticeable hump on the shoulders
- Size: 5-7 ft at the shoulder, females weigh 600-800 lbs, males weigh 850-1,100 lbs
- Body is uniformly brown to black in color. Lower legs can be light tan or white
- Long nose, overhanging upper lip, and a prominent dewlap (flap of skin) hanging from the neck
- Males have palmate antlers with each tine originating from a broad, flat surface
Bighorn Ram
- Mature rams weigh 175–300 lbs, with Rocky Mountain bighorn the heaviest and desert bighorn the lightest
- Mature rams have ¾ to full (circle) curl horns that are 28-40 inches long with base circumference of 13-16 inches
- Horns are a heavy hard sheath that grow on top of a bony core that angle back from the skull about 15 inches
- Entire body pelage color is light tan for deserts to dark brown for Rocky Mountain except for white muzzle and rump patch
- Have prominent visible testicles
Ewe
- Narrow, sickle shaped horns with base same width as eye
- Ears are 4-41/2 inches in length
- Relatively wide space between base of horns
- Squat to urinate
- No testicles
The Nevada Bighorn Ewes Identification Course is online and available at the following website: hunter-ed.com/nevada-sheep-id/
Ram Lambs and Yearling Ram (Illegal to Harvest)
- Wide, triangular-shaped horn bases twice the width of eye
- Desert ram lambs in the fall-horn base wider than eye and 5- to 6-inch horn with little curve if any and gray horns vs. tan curved ewe horns
- Wider, pronounced forehead
- Narrow spacing between horn bases
- Stretch rear legs during urination
- Testicles visible, especially from rear
- Belly spot or penis seen from side view
Mountain Goat
- Fur is long, coarse, dense hair with off-white color over entire body with a beard
- Adults stand about 31/2 feet tall with stocky front torso and pronounced hump between front shoulders
- Legs are relatively short but with proportionally large hooves for sure-footedness along vertical cliffs
- Both sexes have narrow sharply pointed black horns that flare back and to the side above the ears less than 12 inches long
- Billies (males) urinate by stretching while standing and Nannies (females) urinate by squatting their rear legs
Wolf (Illegal to Harvest)
- Nose is broad and blocky
- Ears are more rounded and relatively short
- Weighs 50-90 pounds
- Legs are longer
- Fur color is similar to coyotes; gray, black, rust, or buff
- Moves more fluidly
- Resembles a German shepherd with longer legs and larger feet
Coyote
- Nose is slender and pointed
- Ears are prominent, pointed and relatively long
- Weighs 20-35 pounds
- Legs and feet are smaller
- Fur color is similar to wolves: grizzled gray, rust, or buff; rarely white or black
- Moves in a manner that appears to be hopping or bouncing
